Kristin teaching & learning in Korea

Hey Guys, I’m OK

Yesterday, North and South Korea fired at each for about an hour near disputed territoryon the border, an area few hours outside of Seoul. You can read about the incident here and South Korea’s plan to possibly retaliate here.

While, on the news, there seems to be a lot of tension, in general I don’t think there’s much concern among Koreans in Seoul. From here and there, I’m hearing that this kind of event is just what Kim Jong Il does to demonstrate power when the readiness of the ever vigilant military needs to be justfied financially. There may be something about shifting the power to his son…I’m not really sure and there just aren’t that many concrete details right now. While I’m glad that this situation doesn’t seem to put me in any particular danger, I am concerned with..well..the lack of concern here. Everyone just seems used to military strikes, civilian casualties and really terrifying civil defense drill sirens that go off every once and awhile.

Maybe me being American drives my Korean colleagues away? I can’t imagine what they think I’m thinking about this situation. I know their news coverage is as sensationalist as any other back in the US. Do Koreans think I’m freaking out or judging Korea or that I should be used to this kind of news? There’s just no telling.